


move

by manzana



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-04
Updated: 2015-06-04
Packaged: 2018-04-02 21:42:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4074862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manzana/pseuds/manzana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>rin teaches sousuke how to use a skateboard. the results are less than desirable.</p>
            </blockquote>





	move

**Author's Note:**

> fic/art collab with [kittlekrattle](http://kittlekrattle.tumblr.com) from tumblr!! they drew [this lovely fanart](http://kittlekrattle.tumblr.com/post/120755963231) and I had to write a fic based on it somehow :’) 
> 
> cross-posted from [my tumblr](http://princessbubblgum.tumblr.com/post/120714674159) !!

Rin had spent his first year at this school noting with no small ounce of delight how ideal the topography was on this campus, with all its metal railings and low cement walls and long stretches of flatland to take advantage of. His eyes translated the structural layout as an endless playground, easily envisioning himself putting the place to better use than to simply walk upon, and as soon as he could, he brought his skateboard from home and kept it close in his dorm room. 

 

Sousuke had snorted derisively when he first spied it leaning against Rin's desk -- "you still play with that thing, huh" -- but it's he who suggested they take it for a ride that very afternoon. Rin visibly brightened at the invitation, and Sousuke simultaneously learned just how tightly his own heart could clench at witnessing a sight like that. 

 

 

It becomes routine not too long after, finding time to do this. They wait for free afternoons, when they don't have scheduled swim practice and their homework load is at a minimum, and they put it off until late in the day, when their campus is clearer and more liberating to roam about. Between the two, Rin is obviously the one who craves this the most, who looks forward to opportunities to indulge in this like a child eagerly awaiting dessert at the end of a meal. Sousuke likes it too, but he's there to watch, to immortalize choice moments in a camera he never really utilized until he realized he could relive Rin's feats time and time again long after they were behind them. 

 

 

Sousuke never had much of an interest in skateboarding outside of Rin, because why would he? But like most things that Rin had a knack for, it easily became a fascinating thing for Sousuke to witness. Never mind if Rin's skills might be rudimentary or amateur to others, to Sousuke it was graceful, an art. Rin had always been good with his feet, poised and balanced and powerful, and this was no exception, performing tricks with an ease that made the board look less like a separate entity and more like an extension of himself. He'd dart around on the concrete, feet rearranging themselves quickly as necessary, almost like a dance, and then his board would be spinning and moving in so complicated a fashion that Sousuke's gaze could barely keep up. It was enough for him to forget sometimes that he had a camera with him, his vision so fixated and awed that he'd need Rin calling out an eager, "get this one, hurry, watch me," just in time for Sousuke to remember to click the shutter release and capture Rin launching himself off the top of a staircase. 

 

 

This particular day finds them wandering around Samezuka's wide grounds a few hours before sunset, Rin coasting along on his skateboard at a leisurely speed while Sousuke walks along beside him, camera swinging loosely around his neck. There are too many fun and interesting places to stop at in a school as big and affluent as theirs, so they bounce from choice spot to choice spot as they explore their options. 

 

 

It's Rin who dictates when and where they linger, but Sousuke can always tell when a stop is coming long before it happens, can see the way Rin's knees bow ever so slightly as he starts to curve his path and roll around closer to a small staircase or a short brick wall. It's then that Sousuke already finds himself a good place to sit, low enough to the ground so he can keep his vision focused on the action, close enough to capture detail in his camera lens but far enough to not get in Rin's way. This last thing rarely presented itself as a problem, though; Rin tended to utilize him just as well as the environment, rolling tight circles around him or, in a true testament to the deep-seeded trust shared between them, leaping over him as he laid prostrate across the pavement. 

 

 

The sun hangs low in the sky when they reach the school's parking lot, bathing the world in a myriad of reds, pinks, and oranges. They silently but unanimously decide to end the day here, so Sousuke parks himself on a curb, his knees bent close to his chest as he snaps shot after shot of Rin exhausting the last of his energy. The late afternoon leant another benefit to these skateboarding sessions, they had long-since discovered; the dark orange of the sky proved a brilliant backdrop against which Rin, suspended midair or in the middle of gravity-defying pose, cast his bold silhouette. He always looked like he belonged on a magazine cover like this, intense and beautiful, and Sousuke was hard-pressed to hide the concentrated gaze in his eyes as he followed Rin's moments with the camera. 

 

 

Rin lands a particularly complicated kickflip before fluidly sweeping into a low crouch and curling his path into a sharp turn, sailing by Sousuke just in time to lock eyes with him. He grins cheekily, winking and blowing him a kiss as he rolls away. 

 

 

Sousuke can only snort a curt jeering little laugh. "You're such a ham." 

 

 

"And you're a voyeur," Rin mutters from far away. "Quite the pair we make." 

 

 

Rin steers himself around again to loop his way back to Sousuke, waiting until he's near enough before before carefully removing one foot and gracefully stepping off the board at the same time that he launches it into his awaiting hand. He strides closer to Sousuke, free hand moving to balance on his hip as he gazes down where Sousuke sits. 

 

 

Sousuke, glancing up at the boy so haughtily towering over him for once, thinks Rin must revel in this height reversal. 

 

 

Rin suddenly drops the board at his feet, then nudges it forward with the tip of his shoe. It crawls across the asphalt until it bumps against Sousuke's knee. 

 

 

"Your turn," he says. 

 

 

Sousuke thinks it a joke and chuckles a breathy laugh as he nudges it back. Almost instantly, Rin returns the board to him with a gentle kick. 

 

 

"I'm serious." 

 

 

The smile disappears from Sousuke's face and is swiftly replaced by a frown. 

 

 

"Absolutely not." 

 

 

"Oh, come on." Rin eases down next to Sousuke, bumping their hips slightly as he does. He rarely sat down when they came out for skateboarding, determined to make the most of these rare opportunities to skate by staying on the board as much as humanly possible. Him sitting now only meant he was about to employ his trademark stubbornness to ensure he got what he wanted, which, in this case, just so happened to be Sousuke making a fool of himself.

 

 

"We've done this a million times now," Rin continues, idly placing a foot on the board and wiggling it back and forth in front of him, "and not once have you tried to ride. You should give it a shot." 

 

 

"If I get on that thing I will either die or end up looking stupid enough for you to mock me for the rest of forever. Not sure which is worse, but I'm not really too excited about either prospect."

 

 

"I won't laugh," Rin says, although he's already in the middle of a giggle, the back of his hand pressed against his lips in an effort to fight it. Sousuke scowls at him and Rin leans up to placate him with a kiss. "I promise I won't laugh. And I promise you won't die." 

 

 

The kiss was lethal enough on its own -- with enough kisses, Rin could probably convince Sousuke to saw off his own leg -- but Rin is already pressed up against his side, and in this position he's at the optimal angle to continue his assault on Sousuke's defenses. He's got the innocent sunshiney smile going on, the fluttery eyelashes, the sugary-eyed eager glances, and -- oh, there was a hand on Sousuke's knee now, and, yeah, Sousuke could practically feel his composure and resolve seeping out of him like liquid. 

 

 

"I…" Sousuke begins, deathly wounded now by this entire display. "I don't know how."

 

 

Rin perks up, his grin widening. He could recognize a clear victory against Sousuke when he saw one, although admitting anything but a win against Sousuke's resolve was so rare a thing that he shouldn't have been surprised by this outcome. 

 

 

"It's easy. I can teach you."

 

 

Sousuke sighs, defeated, and cocks an eyebrow at the boy beside him. "This is going to be like me learning butterfly all over again, isn't it?"

 

 

Rin winks. "Just like old times, eh, Sou-chan?" 

 

 

"Uh-huh." 

 

 

Not wasting anymore time, Rin heaves back up to his feet, turning and offering Sousuke a hand up as well. Sousuke reluctantly accepts, sighing once he's standing too. Rin removes the camera strap from around his neck -- 

 

 

"Don't take any pictures of me." 

 

 

"I'm not promising anything." 

 

 

\-- and they take a few steps away from the curb before Rin, rocking the skateboard beneath his feet, kicks it over to Sousuke, who stops it before himself with one heavy step.

 

 

"Try getting on," Rin says.

 

 

Sousuke stares warily down at the board below him before adjusting the position of his one foot already on. In a tentative shaky move, he heaves his other foot on along with it, wobbling slightly as he struggles to maintain balance.

 

 

"Good," Rin says, and Sousuke can hear the amusement in his tone before a series of clicks utter in succession thereafter.

 

 

"No pictures, I said."

 

 

"Quiet," Rin mutters, snapping another picture. "Now, er, push yourself. One foot on the ground and propel yourself forward."

 

 

It sounds easy enough and Rin had always made it look completely doable, but Sousuke gazes down at the concrete again and can't help but hesitate. He lifts his left foot about a centimeter off the board before he feels his right leg start to shake again and he slams it back down.

 

 

Out the corner of his eye he sees Rin, fingers laced innocently behind his back, circle around to stare up at his face, grinning devilishly.

 

 

"Scared, Sousuke? Want me to hold your hand?"

 

 

"Shut up," Sousuke growls.

 

 

It's like ripping off a bandage, he supposes, so with one final mental pep talk to himself and before he could change his mind about it, he quickly removes his foot off the board and slams it down on the ground, pushing insistently the minute he makes contact.

 

 

He's moving forward for a second, the briefest of seconds, before he feels the board fly out from under him and shoot away, and then he's stumbling backward, gravity pulling him down to the ground until he slams painfully onto his ass.

 

 

Sousuke hears a single loud sharp bark of a laugh somewhere above him before it's quickly cut short. When his eyes search for Rin, he sees the other boy with both hands plastered over his mouth, eyes crinkling at the corners and his shoulders shaking. Sousuke glares at him.

 

 

Rin takes a second to compose himself, even turning away from Sousuke to better calm down. When he's finished, he turns back, removing his fingers away from his face slowly if only to peep out a tiny, "sorry," the minute his wild grinning lips are revealed again.

 

 

"Ugh."

 

 

"Are you okay?" Rin asks, walking over and smiling more gently now as he eases down into a crouch next to him. He tugs Sousuke closer by the chin, peppering his lips in a flurry of kisses, before standing and offering him a hand again.

 

 

Sousuke's hands fly to his backside the minute he's standing, rubbing tenderly at the sore spot there. Rin tries to help before his hands are swatted away, and he cackles quietly to himself as he takes a few steps backwards.

 

 

"Don't worry about it," Rin reassures him, waving dismissively as Sousuke shoots scathing looks in his direction. "Everyone falls their first time. Completely normal." He wiggles a finger at Sousuke now, narrowing his eyes. "Fortunately, I know exactly where you went wrong, so we can easily fix this."

 

 

He jogs away to where the board had rolled a few meters away, then rides it back to Sousuke, stopping near to him with one foot on the ground.

 

 

"Here's what you did," Rin says as he moves his right foot closer to the tail end on the board. With his left foot positioned in front of him on the asphalt, he pantomimes the act of pushing off the ground without actually making contact. "Never push off with your front foot. Surefire way to eat shit." His feet switch places, with his right foot stepping down onto the ground behind him and his left foot stepping onto the board closer to the nose. With a heavy push, he propels himself forward, gliding forward easily before doing a quick turn a few yards away and looping back. "See? Back foot is where it's at."

 

"Fascinating."

 

 

"Okay, okay, you again." Rin halts next to Sousuke and hops off the board.

 

 

"I think I'm good."

 

 

"What?" Rin says incredulously. "How can you give up? Come on, we've barely been at this for five minutes. Give it another go."

 

 

"Rin."

 

 

"I love you Sousuke," Rin grins up at him as he says this. "Try again please."

 

 

Use of the L-word was a low blow, foul play, and Rin knew this. He also knew how effective it was, and the results are immediate as Sousuke slaps a hand to his face, pinching the bridge of his nose before muttering a low, "oh my god, the things I do for you," before gingerly stepping onto the board again.

 

 

Rin takes a few steps backward in front of and away from Sousuke, stopping to hold outstretched arms and wiggle his fingers eagerly. "Alright, come to me."

 

 

Sousuke doesn't move, instead stares at the ground, his eyes trailing the distance between himself and Rin.

 

 

"Sousuke! just a little bit, it's like a few meters, you can do it."

 

 

Sousuke bites his lip, raising a shaky foot again before replacing it back on the board. He shakes his head gently, more to himself than Rin's demands.

 

 

Rin's hands fall to his side. "What's wrong?"

 

 

"Give me a second, Rin, damn," Sousuke mutters through gritted teeth. 

 

 

Rin blinks once, then laughs. "But Sousukeee, I miss you already. Come over here."

 

 

"Hey -- "

 

 

"Sousuke, I want a kiss," Rin whines, hands on his hips and pout settling on his lips. "Kiss me, please. I wanna kiss you."

 

 

"Rin, hold on -- "

 

 

Rin's answer is to point at his puckered lips and gaze at him with sad, eager eyes. This proves to be Sousuke's breaking point, cursing sharply under his breath as his back foot suddenly lands on the ground and pushes him forward. His arms open wide as he feels his balance start to waver, but he moves all the same, slow and shaky and more or less in Rin's direction. Rin grins wide at the same time the wheels start turning, and once Sousuke crosses the few meters between them, he puts out a hand, grabbing Sousuke by a fistful of his shirt and tugging him the rest of the way.

 

 

"Very good," Rin says, beaming up at him before standing on his tip toes to kiss his mouth. Sousuke instantly forgets how annoyed he was a second ago, using both hands to hold Rin's face and kiss him back hard. There's nothing to keep him quite in place, though, and soon momentum keeps the wheels moving gradually beneath him, cutting the kiss short as the board continues to roll away. Rin releases him, waving at him as Sousuke glides away, protesting frantically.

 

 

Lessons continue on after that, Rin concentrating his efforts on teaching Sousuke how to maintain balance while commanding control over his movements. He starts him off simply, practicing moving forward in straight lines across short distances, gradually increasing the distance until Sousuke can confidently sail his way from one end of the parking lot to the other without looking nervous about it. Learning to turn takes a bit more effort, and Sousuke ends up stumbling off the board the first few tries, falling onto his ass enough times for him to start getting cranky about it. It requires Rin holding him by the hand, guiding him along and whispering instruction and encouragement, before he gets the hang of it.

 

 

It's nearly twilight once Sousuke manages to somewhat master some of these preliminary lessons, lampposts and outside building lights flickering on around them as the sky takes on a navy purple hue and their shadows stretch long behind them. His movements are less shaky, but he's still slow, crawling along at a pace that Rin could easily overtake him at, even with his slow steps. Rin praises him generously, but decides their last lesson for the day before the sun completely sets is for Sousuke to work on his speed.

 

 

"I'm perfectly happy with the pace I'm going at, thank you very much," Sousuke mutters. "I'm already going to have a bruise on my ass the size of Russia by the time we get back to the room; I don't need to be going any faster than this."

 

 

"Sousuke, I understand, but at the rate you're going, it would be more prudent for you to crawl on your belly everywhere than be on that."

 

 

"I didn't even want to ride this thing in the first place," Sousuke snaps. "I'm doing this for your benefit."

 

 

"At least try and aim to go a little faster, okay?" Rin says, reaching out a hand to squeeze Sousuke's fingers. "I'm not asking for turtle speed today; I will be content with something a little quicker than snail."

 

 

Sousuke only rolls his eyes, but changes little about what he does to appease Rin. Taking matters into his own hands, Rin moves toward him, placing his fingers on Sousuke's hips. Sousuke jumps at the sudden contact before Rin begins pushing him forward, taking quick short strides as he does.

 

 

"Rin, hey, wait!" Sousuke protests, tries to wrench his fingers from his sides, but Rin hushes him, using his captain voice as he orders Sousuke to start pushing with his foot. The commanding tone serves him well, Sousuke automatically placing his foot out and pushing hard against the ground without question. Enough times doing this and suddenly he's moving so fast that Rin can't keep up with him, so Rin gives him one final shove before letting him go and standing back to watch. He hears Sousuke make an alarmed noise before it gives way to a nervous little laugh, the exhilaration of the newfound speed enough to dismiss fears.

 

 

It's only when the board collides with the curb that the two realize that Rin had skipped the lesson on stopping, and Rin can only watch from a short distance away as Sousuke is flung from the board and is dumped unceremoniously onto the grass with a loud pained grunt.

 

 

"Enough," Sousuke moans, curling onto his side and rubbing at the knee he landed on.

 

 

Rin runs over, sliding onto his knees next to Sousuke on the grass and cradling his knee in his lap, squeezing it tentatively.

 

 

"Are you okay?" he asks, too genuinely concerned to even think of laughing, despite how comical that last display had looked.

 

 

"Mmm," Sousuke whines, easing up on his hands so that he was sitting. He runs a hand across his face and through his hair before gauging the way his legs were feeling right now. "This is it. Death will soon come for me."

 

 

"I'm serious, asshole," Rin snaps, smacking him on the arm.

 

 

"Was me launching off a fast-moving skateboard and potentially breaking all my bones not enough injury for me to sustain today without you beating my arm?"

 

 

"Shut up, holy shit," Rin growls. He squeezes his calf tenderly. "Does it hurt?"

 

 

"It's unbearable," Sousuke mumbles in a deadpan tone.

 

 

"Oh, my god."

 

 

"Just cut off my leg. That might be the only way."

 

 

"Hey -- " 

 

 

"You did this to me Rin. Why, oh, why, Rin? What did I ever do to you? Except love you too much?"

 

 

"Sousuke!"

 

 

"In all seriousness," Sousuke says, shrugging. "It's not that bad. Probably just bruised. Or, I mean -- it could be broken, who knows."

 

 

"I hate you."

 

 

"You might even have to carry me back to the room," Sousuke continues. "And then never ask me to get on that thing ever again."

 

 

Rin pauses, considering the words. His lips quirk in a smirk that he tries to control, and then he crosses his arms, nodding sagely.

 

 

"Alright."

 

 

"Hm?"

 

 

"I'll carry you."

 

 

Sousuke blinks slowly, then frowns.

 

 

"No, wait, I was kidding."

 

 

"No, no." Rin holds out a hand to stop him. "My poor giant baby of a best friend is in pain, and I need to fulfill my duty, both as his romantic partner and as the cause of his injury, and literally shoulder his woes"

 

 

"It's fine, Rin. It doesn't hurt, it's just sore." Sousuke starts moving, attempting to stand, but Rin shoves him back down.

 

 

"You wanted to be carried. You are going to be carried."

 

 

"I am not going to let you carry me."

 

 

"Why not?"

 

 

"Because I would crush you under my weight probably."

 

 

"You don't think I can lift you?" Rin accuses, sounding offended.

 

 

"Not at all, no."

 

 

"I'll have you know I'm incredibly strong, Yamazaki Sousuke. Maybe even stronger than you."

 

 

"Possibly on the moon that's true, but unfortunately for you we are on earth right now."

 

 

"Okay, now I'm just taking this as a personal challenge, forget your stupid leg." Rin positions himself into a crouch, then turns so his back is to Sousuke. "Hop on."

 

 

"Rin, no."

 

 

"Sousuke."

 

 

"You're not going to win this."

 

 

That was a challenge in and of itself. Rin whips around quickly, grabbing Sousuke by the sides of his head and pressing his mouth close to the shell of his ear.

 

 

"Get on me, Sousuke," he orders in a low, warm, breathy voice, right against his ear. He can feel Sousuke shiver under his touch, then releases him, resuming his position. In the seconds before he turns, Rin catches the stunned look on Sousuke's face, and it fills him with a minute sense of glee.

 

 

"You are the _worst_ ," Sousuke groans.

 

 

"Come on, we're wasting daylight."

 

 

Sousuke does eventually shuffle forward on the grass, slinging his arms around Rin's shoulder bones and holding tight. Rin in turn loops his arms under Sousuke's bent knees, momentarily revels in the snug warmth of the body pressed against him, then takes in a deep breath, suddenly heaving to his feet with a long grunt. Sousuke clings tighter as Rin's legs wobble, squeezes his thighs around his torso, utters a concerned little noise in Rin's ear. But Rin rights himself quickly, finds his center of balance with ease, and soon he's trudging forward, Sousuke slung across his back like a koala.

 

 

"Easy peasy," Rin declares brightly, taking careful steps forward.

 

 

"I cannot believe you," Sousuke murmurs against his shoulder.

 

 

"What's there to believe? I'm amazing and you are well-aware of that."

 

 

"Yeah, yeah."

 

 

Sousuke watches Rin's path take them in the direction of his abandoned skateboard and, thinking he understands what Rin is about to do, begins kicking weakly and clenching his fist around the fabric of Rin's jacket in protest

 

 

"Don't."

 

 

"What? I need to bring my board back."

 

 

"Do not get on that thing."

 

 

"Relax." Rin starts kicking it ahead of him and follows along behind it. "I may be reckless, but I'm not an idiot." 

 

 

Sousuke lets out a sigh of relief, resting his forehead against Rin's shoulder.

 

 

It takes them awhile to get back, what with their dorm on the other end of campus from the parking lot. They look silly probably; captain of the swim team stumbling across campus while his much larger roommate clings to his back. It's fortunate that dusk has long since fallen and less people are milling around, but they do catch the eye of the occasional bystander, and Sousuke can only glare when they dare to give them odd glances. 

 

 

They say little for most of the trip. Rin at least doesn't complain once, and Sousuke doesn't comment on it. At one point, Sousuke starts to feel his body slip in Rin's grasp, and though he hugs Rin more snugly, he thinks now might be a good time to offer to walk the rest of the way, that Rin had made his point, he was right, Sousuke was wrong. The words never leave his mouth, though, not when Rin merely tightens his grip on his legs, pauses long enough to heave him up higher on his back, then presses on. 

 

 

"I was proud of you today," Rin says suddenly, breaking the silence.

 

 

"Hm?" Sousuke says, gazing down at the crown of his head. "What for?"

 

 

"You didn't give up."

 

 

"If only because you wouldn't let me. Saying no to you is like saying no to the laws of gravity."

 

 

Rin laughs lightly. "I'm only stubborn with you because I know you're capable of more than you think you are." Sousuke can hear the smile in his tone when, in a smaller, fonder voice, he says, "you're amazing. No matter how many times you fall. Please don't forget that." 

 

 

Sousuke pauses, feelings a warmth course through him in a sharp contrast to the chill of the evening. He wants to return the sentiment, wants to say something just as sweet. Similar thoughts leave his mouth a thousand times every day without hesitation, but he's too startled by Rin's words to even know where to begin. The pause lengthens far too long as he holds Rin tighter, his mouth hidden behind his shoulder, and before he can think to say anything, Rin interrupts his thoughts. 

 

 

"Almost there." their dorm building looms in the distance. He doesn't sound the slightest bit exhausted, and Sousuke breathes a soft humorless laugh against the side of his neck. 

 

 

"You're a ridiculous boy, Matsuoka Rin," he mutters, glancing away. 

 

 

"But that's what you love about me, isn't it," Rin accuses back quickly, and Sousuke can hear the smile again. He stares at the back of Rin's head, at the bright red hair blowing in the breeze and tickling the skin of his chin, and tries to imagine the face he's making, the soft smirk and the haughtily arched eyebrows. 

 

 

He waits a long while before murmuring a soft, "yeah," into his hair, using his left hand to toy with Rin's chin and draw his face to the side. He cranes his neck, leaning heavily against Rin's back as he presses his mouth sweetly against Rin's. He feels Rin's lips part in slight alarm, then relax against him, sigh into his mouth as Sousuke digs his fingers in his hair and pulls him in closer. 

 

 

Rin is so absorbed in the kiss that he stumbles his way into the doorway of their dorm building, knocking Sousuke's head against the frame and crashing their teeth together painfully. The action causes him to nearly drop the boy on his back, does enough for him to at least release his hold on one leg as they both recoil in pain. Thrown off balance, they wobble, teeter, until they finally crash backwards onto the threshold just outside their building. 

 

 

Rin very graciously allows Sousuke to walk the rest of the way back to their room. 

 

 

When they make it back, they collapse on Rin's bed and thumb through the pictures on Sousuke's camera. Rin had captured a surprising number of Sousuke's accidents, and Rin laughs loudly at each one enough times for Sousuke to confiscate the camera and demand Rin take responsibility for his injuries. They spend the rest of the night counting the bruises blossoming Sousuke's skin, the dark purples and blues of them all coloring his skin like some abstract painting. Rin taking great care to give loving attention to each and every one with soft kisses, all until Sousuke begins to invent a few -- 

 

 

"There's one on my hipbone. You missed it." 

 

 

"Sousuke, there's nothing there." 

 

 

"There could be Rin, it's better to be safe than sorry." 

 

 

\-- and it escalates from there until he insists he's got a big fat purple one threatening to bloom right across his bottom lip, and Rin indulges him, crawling into his lap and granting him all the kisses he so obviously desired. They make out for the rest of the evening, Sousuke interjecting every so often with a soft, "ow" when Rin presses too close to the real bruises. Rin laughs his apologies into his mouth, kisses him deeper until Sousuke's too deliriously wrapped up in him to feel anything else. 

 

 

They drift off with Rin, his lips moving against the skin of Sousuke's collar bone, sleepily promises not to force him onto a skateboard ever again. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"What the hell is this," Sousuke mumbles two weeks later, staring down at the new addition to their room.

 

 

"Brought it from home," Rin explains, hands on his hips. 

 

 

Sitting in the center of their hardwood floor is a longboard. Sousuke doesn't understand why Rin needed a _second skateboard_ , but then he's being tugged by the hand out of their room, down the stairs of their building, out onto the courtyard, all until Rin leaps onto the board and beckons him to follow suit behind him.

 

 

"What -- "

 

 

"You don't have to do anything. Just hold onto me."

 

 

Sousuke sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. "Why…" 

 

 

"Just because you suck at this doesn't mean I want to leave you behind, okay? I want you here with me." 

 

 

Sousuke is suddenly flooded with the same warmth he experienced a fortnight ago, clinging to Rin's back and trudging slowly across their campus back to their dorm room. He still wants to protest, still thinks this a stupid idea, but his feet are already moving, and he shakily steps his way on, placing his arms around Rin's waist and hugging him there. Rin turns just enough to smile up at him.

 

 

"I won't let you fall, so don't be nervous." 

 

 

Sousuke just shuts his eyes, rests his forehead against the crown of Rin's head, and nods.


End file.
